Mensa Members Report More Diagnoses

A 2015 survey of 3,715 American Mensa members, whose verified IQ scores placed them in the top 2%, found higher self-reported rates of diagnosed mood disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder than U.S. national estimates. Diagnosed mood disorders affected 26.8% of respondents, compared with a 9.5% national rate, while diagnosed anxiety disorders affected 20%, compared with 10.9% nationally. The researchers proposed that heightened awareness could produce an overactive, highly sensitive nervous system and chronic stress but presented this "hyper brain/hyper body" explanation as a preliminary theory requiring further investigation.

Previous Fact Next Fact